We must avoid the temptation to excuse ourselves for our sins:
7 Yea, and there shall be many which shall say: Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die; and it shall be well with us.
8 And there shall also be many which shall say: Eat, drink, and be merry; nevertheless, fear God—he will justify in committing a little sin; yea, lie a little, take the advantage of one because of his words, dig a pit for thy neighbor; there is no harm in this; and do all these things, for tomorrow we die; and if it so be that we are guilty, God will beat us with a few stripes, and at last we shall be saved in the kingdom of God.
9 Yea, and there shall be many which shall teach after this manner, false and vain and foolish doctrines...
11 Yea, they have all gone out of the way; they have become corrupted.
14 ...they have all gone astray save it be a few, who are the humble followers of Christ; nevertheless, they are led, that in many instances they do err because they are taught by the precepts of men.
15 O the wise, and the learned, and the rich, that are puffed up in the pride of their hearts, and all those who preach false doctrines, and all those who commit whoredoms, and pervert the right way of the Lord, wo, wo, wo be unto them, saith the Lord God Almighty, for they shall be thrust down to hell! (2 Nephi 28)
Most supposed Christians believe that Jesus forgives and saves everyone who asks.
It is astonishing to me that anyone who proclaims to believe in Jesus would believe this statement, which is completely opposite to everything he taught.
To be forgiven, one must stop doing what they know is wrong and do what they know is right, all the time, no exceptions. To be saved, one must learn and do what is necessary to become like God is, meaning to know what he knows, to do as he does, and to desire what he desires.
If you believe in Jesus, you will act, think, and desire as he did and does. If you do not act, think, and desire as he did and does, you do not believe in him.
If and only if you become the person he teaches you to be will he save you. This is how he saves you.
You should ask yourself:
- What do you say you want?
- What do you actually want?
- What do you do?
How well do these three things align? What changes could you make so that they align perfectly?